Decorate Early for Christmas… Because Science Says So

We don’t really need more excuses to decorate early for Christmas, but if elevated happiness hormones are a side effect, then we’re putting up the decorations NOW! An American study found that people who decorate early, are in fact happier, and it seems there are some other benefits we didn’t quite expect...

It was first recognized back in 1989 when a group of psychologists from various US universities ran a survey to determine if Christmas decorating correlated to general friendliness and openness in neighbors, and go figure, it seems those who deck the halls earlier are more likely to be seen as active, open and friendly community members.

Years later, it is now internationally accepted and supported by various experts, and in a recent interview with Unilad, psychoanalyst Steve McKeown supported these findings: “In a world full of stress and anxiety, people like to associate to things that make them happy, and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of the childhood”. He goes on to say that, "Decorations are simply an anchor or pathway to those old childhood magical emotions of excitement. So putting up those Christmas decorations early extends the excitement!".

As protecting those childhood memories is Ultimate Christmas’ main purpose, we couldn’t agree more. For us, decorating is about the joy that each ornament and each memory evokes. Unwrapping an Angel that had been at the top of your Grandmother's Christmas tree ever since you can remember, is definitely a thought that makes even us excited! 

Protecting our heirloom ornaments is part of the secret, it seems. Psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, Amy Morin, told Unilad that this “helps link people to their personal past and it helps people understand their identity. For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way for them to reconnect with their childhoods.”

Decorating can thus help us to reconnect with a lost loved one, and bring back happy memories of time spent with that person. Changing painful memories into happy ones. With this logic, we can understand why people who choose to decorate for the Holidays are happier, and why doing it earlier will simply extend the happiness. So go on, get the decoration boxes out extra early this year - you have our full support!